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Easter blessings to you and your community! We write today to celebrate the
breaking of our fast. For many weeks this Lent we have journeyed together to pray, fast, and advocate
for a moral budget. Our fasts have varied from person to person, but our common
commitment provided a clear witness to our elected leaders during an important
legislative season.

Our small group of fasters in the faith community (we started at about 5,000
people) inspired more than 30,000 activists from social organizations to join
us, and helped spread the teachings of scripture far and wide.

From “What Would Jesus Cut?” bracelets that we delivered to Congress, to a large
ad in a daily Capitol Hill newspaper,
plus weekly messages to senators and representatives – we showed up and kept
urging members of Congress to weigh the moral cost of their budget decisions.
Sojourners’ members published letters to the editor in dozens of papers across
the country, made calls, and educated their churches.

Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners, who fasted for four weeks as part of
these efforts, shares his reflections on this journey and where we go from
here:

This time of fasting was
transformative for me. It was a reminder of the pain that so many in our
country and world experience when they go hungry. They don’t get to end their
“fast” at Easter. Most of all, I have been encouraged by all of those who have
participated.

Injustice is too often perpetuated when good people just stand on the sidelines, or feel disempowered to act. The huge number of people who have joined
in and added their own passion, creativity, and energy has only confirmed for me
that these budget cuts and plans will not stand, nor the vision that lies behind them – a vision of a country
where citizens do not take responsibility for each
other and the common good is not our destiny.

Our work to speak out for “the least of
these” in this budget process has only just begun. The FY 2012 budget plans
that recently passed in the House show that this literal attack on the poor is
getting worse. While sometimes the way seems long, this Lent has been spiritual preparation
for a sustained political fight. (Read more of his remarks on our God’s Politics blog.)

We pray that the fast has encouraged you, and that the Spirit of the Lord has
inspired you in new ways as you work for the Kingdom. We’ll be in touch again
soon, but for now we encourage you to celebrate and reflect on this experience.

In appreciation for your partnership,

Hannah, Andrew, Tim, Leah, Duane, Julie, Elizabeth, and all of us at Sojourners

P.S. This email is the final message for Prayer, Fasting,
and Action campaign. To follow updates on the FY12 budget, visit us on the God's Politics Blog or Facebook.